Nutrient Timing – When to Eat Carbs for the Best Fat Loss

Nutrient timing is a highly effective approach to losing fat. By only eating carbohydrates at certain times, you can maximize your fat loss without having to reduce overall calories.

Why Nutrient Timing Works

At certain times during the day your muscles are more receptive to absorbing carbohydrates. During these time periods, your insulin sensitivity is at its highest. This means it will take less insulin to store the glucose that is produced from carbohydrates. How does this help you lose fat?

When your insulin is elevated, your body is less able to mobilize fatty acids. Insulin takes the glucose in your bloodstream and shuttles it to the cells that need it.

If your muscles and liver are full of glycogen, they will not be able to store any additional glucose. During this scenario, insulin takes this glucose, converts it to fat, and stores it in various places on your body so that it can be used later [1].

Should I Just Cut Carbs Then?

It would be natural to take this info and assume carbohydrates are the cause of weight gain. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Carbohydrates influence your metabolism, but total calories and energy balance are the primary determinants of your weight. If you eat 5,000 calories per day, it doesn’t matter if you have zero carbs in your diet – you’re going to gain weight.

The real magic of nutrient timing comes when you’re working around the “margins” of weight loss calories. That’s when a simple restructuring of your calories can produce weight loss without a reduction in overall calories.

If implementing #1 results in weight loss, you don’t need to work your way down any further. The same goes for numbers 2 and 3. But if you work down the tiers and you still aren’t seeing any progress, that’s when nutrient timing can really shine.

Carbohydrate Nutrient Timing Case Study

Let’s illustrate this concept using a personal coaching client of mine.

Over the first 6 weeks of her program she struggled to lose any weight even though we implemented a couple of calorie cuts. But then look at the highlighted area (weeks 7-15).

During this period we implemented a nutrient timing strategy and she started to lose a significant amount of weight even though we didn’t change her overall calorie intake or macronutrient ratio.

What did we do? We moved 80% of her carb intake, a total of 150 grams of carbs, to her pre and post-workout meals. The rest of her meals she ate lean protein, healthy fats, and fruits and veggies.

If you want a better visual of this carbohydrate timing strategy in action you can download a free one week meal plan by clicking here. It will show you how to structure your macros meal to meal for optimal fat loss.

When Should You Eat Carbs?

If you can limit your carbohydrates so that you are only eating them during the time periods when your insulin sensitivity is at its highest, you will make your goal of losing fat a lot easier. When are these time periods?

Your first meal of the day – After a night of fasting, your insulin sensitivity is higher than normal. This is because your body has been using the glucose in your blood and the glycogen stored in your liver to maintain body functions throughout the night. Upon waking, your body’s stores of glycogen are lower – resulting in a lower amount of insulin needed to store the carbohydrates you’re about to eat.

Your pre-workout meal – Most people don’t think of insulin sensitivity being high just before your workout. And really, it isn’t. However, during exercise, your insulin response is muted. Your pre-workout meal is a great time to get in some carbohydrates and some much needed energy for your workout.

Your post-workout meal – Your post-workout meal is the time when your insulin sensitivity is at its highest. While you work out your muscles use glycogen to fuel your exercise. After your workout your muscles soak up the glucose in your blood. Your muscles are so starved for glucose that they are able to take the carbohydrates you eat and convert it into glycogen without a huge need for insulin [2].

Knowing that these 3 time periods are preferred for carbohydrate intake, we can then start to formulate a meal plan. Depending on your carbohydrate demand, your goals, and whether you’ve exhausted the weight loss progression strategies explained above, I would prioritize my carbohydrate intake like this:

Carbs post-workout only

Carbs post-workout and first meal of the day

Carbs pre and post-workout, and the first meal of the day

Eat the majority of your carbohydrates during these times. The remaining meals should consist of protein, healthy fats, veggies, and possibly some fruit.

By eating your carbohydrates at specific times of the day, you can create a more favorable metabolic environment for fat loss, and you can do it without having to further reduce your calories.

105 Comments

Tony Schober

Hey Everyone,

Just wanted to let you know that if you need more help losing weight you can download my ebook The 10 Forgotten Rules of Weight Loss absolutely free.

I either workout in evenings or morning according to schedule. I find that I have to have a meal in the mornings before a workout, in order to make it through my workout, what do you suggest for a preworkout breakfast

What do you do if your post workout meal is right before bed? I train Jujitsu and other martial arts from 7pm to 9pm, eat post workout on the drive home and usually in bed by 10pm. Still eat carbs at this point, or just let body try to burn fat to replace glycogen over night?

Hey Matt, I would replenish glycogen stores and eat carbohydrates post workout regardless of when your workout is. Insulin sensitivity will be high with a night workout and GH release shouldn’t be negatively impacted (assuming a reasonable serving of carbs).

Hi tony, can you give me an example of a pre work out meal?
I m 55 years old and only 5 feet tall . I work out and trying to loose 15 lbs. my breakfast before the gym is all wrong seems like
1/4 cup old fashion oats with 1 cup of non fat milk or soy . 1/2 banana and cinnamon cook in microwave for 3 minutes or so and then I add a mix of fresh berries and either flaxseed or nuts . I eat this an hour after I wake up and work out around 10 in the morning . Help!!

Your pre-workout meal actually doesn’t look bad to me. Oats with protein powder is a common pre-workout meal, and you are doing that with the oats and milk. You could also have a protein fruit smoothie – 1 frozen banana, frozen berries, whey protein, a little water or milk and blend.

Hey Tony!
First, let me say that I have fallen IN LOVE with your website. I’m a 16 year old girl, trying to be healthy (along with losing fat and building some nice, lean muscles! I’m reading nearly EVERY post of yours, they’re so informing and educational, I can’t get enough!
Anyway, after reading this article and ones about growth hormone/insulin sensitivity, I’m struggling to know what foods fall into these categories. I’m not sure what foods I should be eating to increase growth hormone/lower insulin levels; or which foods that supply me with the right amounts of (glycemic?) carbohydrates, etc.
I hope you’ll find the time to reply to this, it would help me GREATLY as I’ll be continue to embark on my journey to health (and happiness!). 🙂

Hi. I just read Matt Jones post about his postwork meal being at 9pm or after. You told him to go ahead and eat the carbs in his postwork out meal beacause the insulin sensitivity is so high that GH release should not be inhibited. That answered one of my questions because I eat my postworkout meal that late, too. Yay! 🙂

My other question is…I assume then I should have eaten all my other calories prior to my workout in order to make the post workout meal the last meal of the day? The answer is probably yes and if so, the challenge will be to tweak my meals and times in order to get that done. Or would it be ok if about a hour after I eat my postworkout meal, I eat more protein and fat to get my calories in?

Hi Stacy, that really depends on how late your post-workout meal is and if you can better fit in your calories the rest of the day. My assumption is that you can easily get in a few meals before your workout, so you might be better suited to have your post-workout meal and then call it a night. If you’re hungry later in the night after that meal it’s a different story.

Can I just say, this is one awesome website you got here! Keep the posts coming, I find myself checking my inbox to see if I’ve got an emails from you, and if I haven’t I check every folder haha! Love it! Keep it up 😀

Hi I really struggle with breakfast but would like to introduce a smoothie is there one you could recommend please? Also I train mainly in the evenings and don’t usually eat anything after training is that ok to do? Thanks tracy o’callaghan

Hi Tracy, I would eat something after training regardless of when I did it. Even if it’s just a snack. It’s 10x more important to give your body the fuel it needs for recovery than it is to withhold the calories for fat loss.

Do you think a person who has cravings for sugars can manage to eat cookies or a piece of cake after a high intensity/strenght workout without worrying about insulin spikes or a subsequent crash in blood sugar levels? Not that I would recommend it, but some people do have extreme cravings when it comes to sugar. Same question goes for breakfast sugars (nutella, maple syrup), are they that bad when consumed in a high insulin sensitivity state?

Looks like you’re doing a combination of carb cycling, nutrient timing, and a refeed. I don’t see a problem with your setup as long as it’s sustainable and you can maintain an energy deficit over time (if your goal is weight loss).

If you haven’t tried the more balanced approach of consistent calories and balanced meals day to day, I would start there first. No need to make things complicated if it’s not necessary.

I have a question…..I always do my aerobic workout in the morning around 8 am and I am so confused as to do this workout before I eat or after I eat. I generally do it on an empty stomach then I eat after, is this wrong?

Do u have any suggestions what to eat on a 3rd shift job?? I try to eat every 2 hours while I’m at work just mainly fruit, almonds and yougurt. I get home by 8am sleep till about 2 do u think I should eat anything when I wake up or just east till its time for me to go to work also I workout 4 days a week. I don’t count calories cus I’m eating clean just need help on what to eat at night

I think you should eat when you feel hungry. Don’t worry so much about what time it is. If it were me, I’d eat when I wake up, and I’d eat right before work too if it’s been a while since my last meal. These meals at home are much easier to control.

Tony, I just want to say that your posts are amazing. I am subscribed to your list and always read your e-mails. You must have some serious background in biology. There isn’t much advice out there that relates to glycogen stores etc. This is legit and valuable information! Proven by science! Thank you for your amazing advice! From your fan Kara!!!

Hi, I know someone who lost a lot of weight by eating the following: 1 Cup of oats in the morning, 1cup of vegetables with a protein for lunch and one cup of vegetables with a protein for dinner. She said she eat any vegetables. She didn’t do any exercise, she look great. I want to do the same but feel that 2 cups of vegebales a day is not enough, and, although she said it doesn’t matter what veg you eat, I was wondering about veg like pumpkin and beet ect.

Hi Tony, Thank you for this great article along with the many others. My question regarding carbs are when should I eat them? My workouts are 5-6 days/wk, weight training only for the past 6 weeks and now I’d like to incorporate weights and cardio (preferably HIIT ~ WHEW… that’s hard but anyhoot…. I’m always feeling exhausted/sleepy. I have a very early work schedule that doesn’t allow 8-9 rest after diaper duty but I’ll have a 1 1/2 nap in the day. Generally, for breakfast I may have oatmeal with two veggie patties, or banana and nuts (Mixed almonds/cashew), Lunch~cup of red beans and rice, dinner tuna salad with cucumbers. I take a women’s vitamin, fish oil and every other day or two, I’ll use protein, usually at breakfast if I’m running late. I’m using MyFitness Pal and I’m ALWAYS more than 50% carbs! I’ve been doing a lot of reading on blood sugar and carb turning into sugar and I’m getting discouraged about what to eat. My protein sources is seafood and chicken.

I tend to eat carbs with every meal. Carb timing can be effective after you’ve nailed down the main concepts of weight loss. I only use these strategies when necessary, as placing unnecessary restrictions on your diet can affect adherence.

Great read. Only question is, my workouts are early AM, like 5:30AM. and my first meal at 4:30AM IS my pre workout. Then I do a protein shake post workout and space the rest of my carbs throughout the day evenly (sweet potato for lunch, 1 cup of brown rice dinner, etc). But what I’m gathering, I should shoot for the majority of my Carb macro pre workout AND post workout? Then, space the rest of my low carbs throughout the day with veggies in my meals?

Hi Kris, if spacing your carbs out throughout the day is working for you then stick with that. But if you’re struggling to break a plateau then yes – put the majority of your carbs/starches pre and post workout and limit them the rest of the day.

Hi Tony, my question is about carbs and how many I should be eating. I am 25 and I work out 5 days a week doing strength training with a mix of HIIT. I eat carbs now, all whole grain. Usually oatmeal for breakfast and brown rice or sweet potato for dinner. I eat about 1750 calories a day and I’m not sure how many grams of carbs I should be eating in order to continue my goal of toning up.

Hi Emily, aim for a minimum of .6g of protein per pound of body weight, at least 20% of your calories from fat, and then fill the rest with carbs. If you’re not losing weight then reduce your calories to 1650 and follow those same guidelines.

I currently weigh 119, so the .6g of protein would be 71.4. Do I look at that as a percentage of my calories? Then I would have 71%protein 20% from the fat but then I wouldn’t have left over to fill carbs in with.

Hey Tony, I’m trying to lose weight & am just curious as to a good starting point for caloric intake would be. I’m 36 5″9 195 & my only exercise regiment right now is daily 45 mins of yoga.
I was thinking to aim around 1800 to start? Any other specifics dietary I should zone in on?
Thx

Hey I’m eating about 2100 calories. I’m about 158 pounds 5’5. I’m trying to cut while maintaing muscle. I only eat carbs breakfast, preworkout and post workout. My only concern is post workout meal contains about 100g of carbs. Is this to many?? I am follow a meal plan that was made for me

If I excercise in the evenings and have my post workout meal around 8 including carbohydrates, should i then stick to protein,veg and healthy fats for breakfast and lunch and stay away from carbs at these times?

Hi Kerry, that depends on what phase you’re in with your fat loss. If you’re just trying to get those last few percentages of body fat off, then you can time your carbs to only pre and post workout and eat fat/protein/veggies the rest of the day.

But if you have quite a bit of weight to lose I wouldn’t worry about meal timing. Instead, work on getting consistent with your modest calorie deficit over a long period of time.

recently started a low carb diet but have been told it’s good for me to up my carbs after I work out.. the thing is I go to the gym in the evenings so I am unable to eat around 8pm.. isn’t this far too late to be eating carbs? thanks.

Hi Carly, if you eat carbs after a workout they will preferentially fill muscle glycogen stores. Remember that carbs aren’t the deciding factor in your weight loss. They just influence it around the margins. You could eat 0 carbs and eat 5000 calories and gain weight.

Thanks for the great article, my situation is an early morning workout with coffee followed by whey protein post workout. I want to add some carbs as well but I’ve heard research lately that if you eat carbs in the am it will put you into “fat storing mode” for the rest of the day so I eat a moderate amount of good carbs at lunch and dinner.On the other hand I’ve also read not eating carbs post workout will cause your body to use muscle for energy. I am the definition of the last pound or two to lose guy who just wants to see what the lower half of his abs look like while maintaining and hopefully adding some muscle. Thanks in advance for your time.

Fat storage cycles happen on the micro scale and the macro scale – meaning they happen hour to hour based on how you eat, but more importantly they happen day to day and week to week based on how MUCH you eat. The latter is what’s more important.

I wouldn’t stress too much about the timing of your carbs. If you want to maximize every potential fat loss then time them around your workouts. The differences won’t be huge, so make sure priority #1 is planning your meals around adherence potential.

Great article!
I’m 21, 5’4 and about 105 lbs. I’m very active (HIIT strength training 3-4x/wk and 1-2 hrs cardio HIIT/ steady state combo plus lightly-moderate active job).
Trying to maintain, I have no idea how many calories to consume and how to break up my macros! Help! Is eating a higher amount of fat and lower amount of carb counter productive? There are so many conflicting resources and I don’t know what to believe!

Hi Caro, I don’t think you need to go low carb to maintain. You don’t even need to do that to lose. Maintenance should be enjoyable and not restrictive. Start out at a calorie intake and eat there for a couple weeks while you assess your weight. If nothing changes add 100 calories each week until it does. Then you’ll know you’ve found your maintenance calories.

What if I workout late 7pm or 8pm and I follow the rule of no foods after 7pm. But I always eat a good breakfast the next day. Could it be detrimental if I don’t refuel after my workout and just go to sleep?

I won’t be ideal. Always best to get something in after you work out, even if it’s just a small snack such as greek yogurt. But if you have a good meal soon before your workout then I don’t think it’s a huge deal.

Hi tony!
I currently have about 40 lbs to lose and am starting weight training this week. What do you recommend for optimal weight loss? I currently work out around 9:30 but eat breakfast around 7. Should I make my first meal a carb source and then again after the workout with carb less meals the rest of the day? I did see great results by going carb less but became exhausted as time went on. I’m also nursing a baby and hoping to wean soon.

If you’re nursing I wouldn’t mess with meal timing right now. It’s a good idea to eat your carbs before and after working out, but there’s nothing wrong with eating them in your other meals too. When it comes to nutrient timing we’re talking about getting those final pounds off. If you have 40lbs to go I’d have my focus on creating the right habits and making sure I’m staying active and getting in the required calories.

What about cardio days? Should I eat carbs before I run? Or just protein and then eat some carbs after? On training days I eat carbs before and then protein and carbs after…but I’m confused on cardio days.

Hi advice please I’m 38 and 5 foot tall. I eat around 1800 cals a day this has been upped from 1200 in the last year after eating disorder and weight fell off me my activity levels have doubled with my job again physically active 40 hours a week in ny job walk to jobs 5 cardio 5 weight sessions a week I have gained half a stone although only 7.7 its frustrating do I need to up my calories again I’m so confused

If you gained that much then I doubt you need more than 1800 calories, especially at only 5ft tall. Your activity levels doubled, and it’s not unusual to gain a little when that happens, but you’re a little higher than what’s typical. So I’d say you’re eating too much relative to activity levels and I’d start systematically reducing calories until your weight is trending down. Start with 100 less for a couple weeks and see what happens.

Great info! I am currently eating 1400 calories with the same distribution of carbs fat protein. Your calorie calculator suggests I consume 1800 calories. I am working out and tend to lose around a kilo a week on average, however the rare times I do a cheat meal I do not lose any weight that week. I would like to lose .5 kilo a week and I would like to increase my calorie intake to your suggested amount for weightloss. However, I am afraid I won’t lose any weight (as the times I do a cheat meal and increse calories I don’t lose any weight). I have 17 kilos to lose to be at a normal bmi. I’m on your wait list …Any comments would be appreciated.

Hi Erin, first understand that calorie calculators are starting points. You still have to adjust. Too many people think they should immediately start losing weight at the recommended intake.

It happens sometimes, but other times it doesn’t. If it doesn’t, you adjust. The real magic happens with the adjustments.

Why not try to split the difference and bump up calories to 1600 for a couple of weeks and see what happens when you take out the cheats? Or perhaps you still “cheat” but just change the type of food you eat instead of overeating that day.

Hi Tony
I have just discovered your web site
Kudos to you for providing free advice
My story is: I’m 64 yr old. And have spent 4 months with my mother after my father passed away this June and decided I will not look like this when I’m 85. No strength so weak she cannot open a water bottle
For the past 10 yr I have walked 3 x a wk and 1.5 yr decided I need to get serious about weight loss and strength training
I recently joined the local gym and started out in the Arc trainer because I have bad knees (one replaced)
After spending 30 minutes on that I go to upper body because that is where I feel most of my weaknesses is.
Do you have any other suggestion
On what I should be doing?
I have lost 35 lbs since last yr but would like to loss 20 more
I eat well mostly grains fruit and veggies not much meat but chees.
And not usually before a work out
I guess that’s wrong after reading your
Book and all the questions here
Thank you in advance
Flo Hoyt

Hi Flo, if you’ve lost 35lbs it sounds like you’re doing all the important things. If you really want to fine-tune things then I’d consider lower body strength training while being mindful of your knees. Bodyweight squats and other lighter resistance movements can actually strengthen the knee. Let your body be your guide and keep up the good work.

But due to the fact I lost half a stone when I upped my calories due to having fuel my body to burn up maintained it for a year on 1800 then all of a sudden I gain it back quite rapidly even though I’m exerting myself even more. So you can see why I’m wondering if I’m not fuelling enough again. When I say I’m physically active I mean very 🙂

Usually eating too few calories results in no weight loss. Rarely does it result in weight gain of any substantial amount. You can add as many calories as you want, but I don’t see a problem taking it in smaller steps and gauging the results.

you nailed this post dude. timing of nutrition in ratio to physical activity is key. For what you just said is right for so many people i train. I teach this regime as well. Eat breakfast. dont skip it. fill your body with fuel. know your schedule when you can exercise. after a great workout your body is just primed for absorption of nutrients. you can tell when insulin doesnt have to work overtime from the pancreas teaming up with the liver to try to pack sugar into fat. TIMING IS HUGE AND THE X FACTOR. thats the difference between the sink and nap after lunch and the warm energy vibe from feeding at the right time. Jeff

I alternate my days with heavy lifts lower reps on one day followed by lighter weight more reps on the other day. I incorporate a lot of supersets into the mix and change the routine up every time to avoid muscle memory.

I will change up the macros as you mentioned. I can just add more rice after my workout and easily cut some of the fat out.

Hi Tony, I work out Mon -Wed -Fri 10am. Weights/ HIIT
I eat a very balanced diet but do NOT LOSE WEIGHT especially the mid section…
I’m going to try carb cycling but should I eat high carbs on the NIGHT BEFORE workout? Then sleep, workout and then high carbs again after workout then go low from lunch on? Or just have high carb breakfast BEFORE workout and high carb lunch day of workout then low from then on until next workout? I am building muscle and find my legs quite toned but Gut and arms DO NOT GO DOWN 🙁 I feel like I’ve tried everything! All the info I find helps with night/afternoon workouts, NOT mid-morning…
The idea of having high carbs at Dinner seems wrong for weightloss? But obviously we NEED carbs for muscle recovery but I desperately need to know exact times that are best for combining carb intake timing with workouts to create weightloss and muscle recovery…?
And would cottage cheese, eggs & spinach on wholegrain bread be a good carb post/pre workout meal?
Thanks!

Also, it’s very confusing as it’s mentioned that if your body is carb starved it will burn fat storage during a workout, therefore resulting in fat loss BUT then we’re also told to eat carbs pre and post workout?? Obviously leptin has a lot to do with fat loss, so please clearly explain the truth to best fat loss regarding timing, what to eat pre/post workout as it’s almost like all the info out there is so contradictory and confusing that we’re all just being fed lies to just keep us fat $$$…. 🙁
HELP!
Thanks!

Hi Jac, if your body needs glucose and you’re not eating carbs it will either get it by breaking down protein or it will start using ketones. But your body can use body fat even if you’re eating carbs, as energy balance is the #1 factor for weight loss.

An extreme example would be eating 0 carbs but 10,000 calories. You’re going to get fat even though you’re eating no carbs. So carbs aren’t the limiting factor.

That said, they do influence your metabolism, just not as much as most people think.

If you’re going to time your carbs then do it first thing in the morning, pre workout, and after your workout. What day doesn’t matter. It’s still all going to the same place – muscle glycogen. The difference with the timing is just that insulin sensitivity will be higher at those times which means your capacity to store those carbs will be higher.

Hi Tony, I currently train doing Crossfit consistently going early in the morning 5x a week. I have always wondered about timing my carbs, some trainers have told me to eat oats before bed some have said strictly do not. Ive got my Macro nutrients of 156g carbs a day and im unsure of how i can just fit most of these in for mainly my breakfast meal. Im currently eating oats, protein powder coconut milk and peanut butter but that only takes me to a total of 27g of carbs. How can fit the other 130g in?

Also would you advise to eat carbs before bed if i training first thing in the morning?

Hi Lauren, for most people nutrient timing isn’t necessary. Before you mess with doing that, just work on consistently hitting your goal calories and making small adjustments to your overall intake over the first few weeks. If a month goes by and a couple calorie cuts and you still aren’t losing weight, that’s when I’d implement some carb timing.

I eat carbs at every meal, including before bed. Don’t restrict eating behaviors more than you have to.

Hi Karl, because as weight loss slows or stalls you need to reduce your energy intake. What you’re seeing are the adjustments that need to be made to your nutrition in order to make continued progress.

Hello
I am a 5′ 8″ female, 48 yrs old, 126 lbs. Was eating around 1250 calories a day, while doing super set weightligting + conditioning afterwards, 4 days a week. I know you cannot spot reduce fat…the last remaining bit of fat I want to lose is around my belly button and lower back. Thinking of upping my calories to 1400/day because I’ve plateaued in fat loss. I’ve actually gained muscle in that time. I am going to concentrate my carbs to pre & post workout meals. I workout at 5 pm and eat dinner at 6:30 pm. Are fruits considered carbs like sweet potato, rice & oatmeal? Should I cut them out from my breakfast?

Hi Tanis, fruits are carbs. As for whether you should cut them out of a specific meal just depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.

Fruit is healthy and there’s nothing wrong with eating it at any meal. If you want to limit your carbs to pre/post workout then you could consider cutting fruit out of breakfast.

However, nutrient timing isn’t black and white. You could instead experiment with just cutting out starchy carbs from other meals and see if that helps you before taking it to the next level and cutting out all carbs.

Uhmm,I just wanna ask. If i should be eating carbs in the morning,then what should i eat in the afternoon and evening?
Thank you very much
I’m a 15 years old and I just wanna lose some weight for the Prom Night
I hope you’ll reply. 🙂

Hi Carla, it’s unlikely you need to implement nutrient timing strategies to reach your particular goal. You have 4ish months until prom I believe. All it will take is consistent eating in a calorie deficit. The timing of carbs can work too but will add a layer of restriction to your eating. And I prefer people start with the least amount of restriction that gets them to their goals.

Hi Tony, I’m currently following 1400 cal 30/40/30. I’m 5 ft 3 and currently weigh 192.5. I’m 55. I walk 2xa day to insure I’m getting 10-12000 steps a day. I do workout videos 3xweek that use body weight and dumbbells. I’m struggling and really want to see weight loss. My weight bounces around a lot up and down the same few pounds. Help! Typical day macros protein 125 carb 95 fat 55.

Hi Teresa, nothing looks out of place to me. Did you start at 1400 calories? I likely would have started off higher with your stats and then come down slowly until I hit that caloric threshold that results in weight loss.

I started 9 weeks ago. I started logging what I was eating about 1700-1800. Carbs were in the 150-200 range. I increased protein and dropped the carbs around 100. I’m losing very slowly about 3.5 lbs since Christmas. Very stubborn weight loss at this stage of life. I eat almost no fruit. Was thinking of bumping that up a bit to some low glycemic berries in my shake in the am. Thoughts?

I’m 48 years old and am in pre-menopause and experiencing ALL KINDS of changes lately. Research is leading me in conflicting directions with regards to carb intake ….. the latest tidbit states I should be cutting my carb intake into two … half in the morning and half after 3pm ….. I’m just so confused!!! Research has also shown that I should not be “killing myself” with exercise, therefore using your pre and post workout carb intakes are more difficult for me to schedule …. I am working out 3 days a week with long walks and/or yoga in between …. any suggestions, as I’m getting pretty frustrated ……

Hi Shannon, I coach a lot of peri/menopausal women. Rarely do we have to get crazy with strategies.

The biggest difference is you tend to need fewer calories to lose weight. So the process of figuring out that food intake is the same regardless. It’s just the caloric threshold that changes.

What people don’t think about is that when you reduce calories you also reduce carbs by side effect. So my advice would be to eat at a certain intake and just systematically reduce your calorie intake every couple of weeks until your weight is trending down.